


Friends Who Haven't Met Yet

by PaulPower



Category: Homestuck, MS Paint Adventures
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-15
Updated: 2010-08-18
Packaged: 2017-10-11 02:50:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/107540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaulPower/pseuds/PaulPower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having received a mysterious present and letter on her eighth birthday from someone called "John", Jade and her grandpa start doing some research to find out who John, Rose and Dave are...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jade

It was kind of hot sitting on the floor of the atrium with the sun shining down through the glass, but Jade didn't mind too much.  Wasn't that meant to be the point of greenhouses, after all?  She put the first pumpkin seed down into the compost-filled pot and carefully covered it over.  Jade Harley, gardener.  She felt like this could be the beginning of something really excellent.

It was the day after her birthday, when she'd received the seeds, overly large t-shirt and mysterious letter that the boy called John had sent her.  Grandpa had agreed to let her start up a greenhouse inside the atrium.  He'd also promised that he'd do what he could to find out who this John person was, as well as the Rose and Dave that John had mentioned in his letter.  He'd said that the names rang a bell, but he needed to check some things.  It was this big, exciting mystery, and Jade felt sure that Grandpa would be able to solve it.

"Jade!" came his voice, "You know that strange birthday present you got?  The one from that John fellow?"

Jade sat bolt upright as her grandpa walked over. "Yes, Grandpa?" she asked.  
"Well - I can't believe I forgot this, old age must be finally catching up with me - I was doing a bit of digging in the old family tree, and I noticed that you've got a second cousin called John. In fact, he's about your age!  You know, I'd rather forgotten about my sister's side of the family... we never saw that much of each other since I left to seek my fortune.  Clearly they haven't forgotten about you, though!"  
"That's great!" said Jade happily.  And it was.  She'd never known anyone her age before now, living on the island with just Grandpa and Bec for company.  
"Perhaps you could get in touch with each other through one of those instant messaging programs.  I hear they're all the rage these days!  I suggested as much to the boy's father when I phoned him about it, and he's all for it!  I think they're planning to use Pesterchum, it's supposed to be a good chat program for kids.  So you should download it. Then maybe you can try meeting up online later today!"

Jade nodded.  As her grandfather started to walk away, she called after him "Have you found anything about the Rose and Dave that John mentioned yet?"  
"Not yet, no," he called back, "but I'm working on it!  I'm going to ask my friends and employees if they've got any kids by those names..."

*    *    *

Later that day, Jade sat back on the squiddle pile in her bedroom.  She stroked Bec's head as green light strobed around her from her lunchtop and Pesterchum started to install.  It only seemed right to let him watch the show.  He'd led her to John's present, after all.  

Once it had loaded up, Pesterchum asked her for a nickname.  Hmmm... well, if she was going to be talking to John, who'd sent her these nice pumpkin seeds, maybe she should put something about gardening in there.  Then... what was it Grandpa had called her yesterday when she'd been trying out her new Memory modus?  "My little gnostic..." Well, that worked.  They even had the same first letter.  gardenGnostic it was.

She set the program up, and waited.  Shouldn't be long - Grandpa had said he'd told John's dad her e-mail address, so John could connect to her.  Suddenly...

\-- ghostyTrickster [GT] has added gardenGnostic [GG] to their chumroll --  
\-- gardenGnostic [GG] has accepted ghostyTrickster [GT] as their chum --  
\-- ghostyTrickster [GT] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 18:12 --

GT: hey there... jade, right?  
GG: hi john!!!  
GT: think i'm doing this properly.  
GT: i dunno this is the first time i've used this pesterchum thing.  
GG: yeah, me too!  
GG: but it seems to be working ok!  
GG: oh and thanks for the birthday present john!  
GG: ive started getting the pumpkin garden set up  
GG: i can't wait to see how they come out!! :D  
GT: the weird thing about this is, i don't remember sending a birthday present to you.  
GT: oh well, maybe i forgot about it.  
GT: sorry.  
GG: dont worry about it!  
GG: i get pretty forgetful myself sometimes....  
GG: and mail does take a long time to reach my house...  
GG: maybe you sent it so long ago that it's slipped your mind!  
GT: yeah, could be.  
GT: it's really nice to meet you, anyway!  
GG: you too!  
GT: from what dad was saying you live with your grandpa out in the middle of the pacific ocean or something.  
GG: yeah thats right!  
GG: grandpa owns the island and built the house himself  
GT: ooh, neat.  
GT: can't say that about my house, it's just an ordinary house i guess.  
GT: but it's nice enough.  
GT: i've got a neat tire swing and pogo ride and stuff :)  
GG: hehe i bet id think it was really cool if i saw it  
GG: since its probably so different from mine!  
GT: yeah, probably.  
GG: what sort of things do you like to do?  
GT: well, i like watching movies  
GT: i guess ghostbusters is my favourite.  
GT: as you might be able to tell from the chumhandle or whatever this thing's called.  
GG: ooh i think i know that one!  
GG: although grandpas a lot more into movies than i am  
GG: but theyre pretty fun to watch now and again!  
GT: yeah, a lot of the kids at school think i am weird for liking movies so much.  
GT: oh well.  
GT: i'm also learning to play piano.  
GT: i'm not very good yet, but dad reckons i will get a lot better with practice!  
GG: cool!  
GG: im learning an instrument too  
GG: although i think im too small to play bass guitar right now!!  
GG: even with the strings retuned its a stretch to reach the low notes  
GG: but when i get a bit older i should be okay  
GT: and hey, we can learn together or something.  
GT: maybe swap recordings and comment about how we're getting better.  
GT: via the magic of the internet.  
GT: oh yeah, that's something else i like, magic tricks.  
GT: that's where the other half of my nickname comes from!  
GG: ooh nice!  
GT: yeah it's something i'm working on.  
GT: dad's a lot better at them than me, though.  
GT: he's really good at all this prankstery stuff!  
GT: but it's like the piano thing, isn't it?  
GG: yes!  
GG: you'll only get better at them with time :D  
GT: yeah :).  
GT: well, i'd better go now.  
GT: it's getting pretty close to bedtime here.  
GT: i'll talk to you more tomorrow i guess!  
GG: see you!

Jade looked over the conversation again.  It definitely seemed like the John from the letter.  Same blue text, same missing capital letters.  It was kind of weird that he didn't know about the birthday present, but there were a lot of things about the letter that didn't quite make sense.  Oh well, it didn't matter.  She'd made a new friend.

*    *    *

It was a few days later.  Coming downstairs for breakfast, Jade decided to check on her pumpkins en route.  To her excitement, green shoots were starting to poke out of the compost in the pumpkin pots.  Like her friendship with John, really: she'd chatted to him a few times now, and they were getting on really well.  Even if he did like cheesy movies and weird computer games, he was pretty easy to talk to, and he seemed positively awe-struck as she'd told him more about her house and Grandpa and Bec.

She went over to the kitchen.  Grandpa was already sitting at the table, and he looked up as she entered.

"Ah, Jade, excellent!  I've got some more news about your mystery letter - I think I've found out who Rose is!  You see, I was talking to one of my scientist colleagues last night, after you went to bed - bright girl, she did some work for me on those meteors that fell around the time you were born - and she mentioned that she has a young daughter called Rose, who's also about the same age you are.  Sounds about right, doesn't it?"  
"Yeah!"  
"Turns out Rose already has Pesterchum, so if I give you her e-mail address, you should be able to contact her..."

*    *    *

After breakfast, Jade once more found herself in her room, firing up Pesterchum.  John wasn't on - maybe he was at school? - but right now she had different fish to fry.  She added a second chum to her chumroll.

\-- gardenGnostic [GG] has added tentacleTherapist [TT] to their chumroll. --  
\-- tentacleTherapist [TT] has accepted gardenGnostic [GG] as their chum. --  
\-- gardenGnostic [GG] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 09:13 --

GG: hi rose!!!  
GG: oh and happy birthday for... was it yesterday?  
TT: Hello.  And yes it was, thanks.  
TT: Jade, isn't it?  
TT: Mother said you'd be in touch soon.  
TT: I understand we're in similar boats.  
TT: Independently wealthy (grand)parent, living in the middle of nowhere, et cetera, et cetera.  
GG: pretty much yeah!  
GG: i guess neither of us gets much chance to make friends...  
TT: Yes, we should probably take every opportunity we get.  
TT: So, seen anything good on television lately?  
GG: well i dunno... do you like squiddles?  
GG: its one of my favourite shows!  
TT: Squiddles?  
TT: Oh yes, that certainly was a cartoon.  
TT: Oddly enough, the T-Shirt I'm wearing right now is themed off it.  To an extent.  
GG: wow neat!  
GG: ive been thinking of getting one myself lately  
GG: maybe in blue.....  
GG: oh hey that reminds me!  
GG: do you know someone called john?  
GG: only he mentioned you in a letter he wrote to me...  
TT: No, I can't say I do.  
TT: Friend of yours?  
GG: yes!  
GG: i've only known him a few days, but he seems really nice!  
GG: maybe i should introduce you....  
TT: That wouldn't be a bad idea.  
TT: The only people I have on Pesterchum so far are you and a poetic acquaintance of mine named Dave Strider.  
GG: ... dave???  
TT: You know him, then?  
GG: ye... um... no?... sort of??  
GG: it's a bit confusing...  
TT: Colour me intrigued.  
GG: i dont have his pesterchum thingy or email to contact him with though  
TT: Oh, it's turntechGodhead.  
TT: Which should tell you all you need to know about him.  
TT: Assuming you don't know about him already, that is.  
GG: well i dont know exactly  
GG: i think hes a friend i havent met yet!  
TT: I'm going to pretend I understood that.  
GG: dont worry i dont really understand it myself  
GG: maybe i will when im older  
TT: In my experience, when people say "You'll understand when you're older" they aren't usually referring to friendship aneurysms.  
TT: But oh well.

The conversation seemed to have stalled.  Rose was trickier to talk to than John.  She was also seemed to be curious about how Jade could know Dave and yet not know him - a question that Jade couldn't answer, because she didn't know either.  She tried to think of something else to say.  Bec padded softly - well, as softly as he ever did - into the bedroom, and gave her an idea.

GG: ooh, do you have any pets?  
GG: i have a dog his names bec!  
TT: ... I used to have one.  
TT: Jaspers died a couple of years ago.  
GG: oh sorry D:  
TT: It's ok, you weren't to know.

Another pause.  Jade felt nervous, hoping she hadn't upset Rose.  But then Rose replied:

TT: Sorry, I think my mother's calling me.  
TT: I'll have to go for now.  
TT: It's been... well, it's been really interesting, Jade.  
TT: See you soon.  
GG: umm... see you! &lt;3

\-- tentacleTherapist [TT] is an idle chum. --

*    *    *

Oh well.  She could use this chance to add Dave to her chums.  What did Rose say his nickname was?  turntechGodhead?

\-- gardenGnostic [GG] has added turntechGodhead [TG] to their chumroll. --  
\-- turntechGodhead [TG] has accepted gardenGnostic [GG] as their chum. --  
\-- gardenGnostic [GG] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 09:38 --

GG: hi dave!!!  
TG: do i know you  
GG: umm... not exactly!  
GG: im a friend of roses  
GG: sort of  
TG: aw jeez i told that dame not to hand out my chumhandle to random people like this  
GG: sorry.....  
GG: she said you were a poetic acquaintance or something??  
TG: yeah she finds my rapping easier to deal with if she thinks of it as poetry  
GG: you rap???  
GG: thats sooooo cooooooool!!!  
TG: heh thanks  
TG: i also remix a lot of music with my turntables and beat machine  
GG: wow neat!!  
GG: im learning to play bass right now, but i also make music on my computer  
TG: oh yeah?  
TG: send me a piece  
TG: i might not think its completely terrible  
GG: umm... ok!!!  
GG: im not very good at music making yet but theres this...

\-- gardenGnostic [GG] sent turntechGodhead [TG] the file "ohgodwhat.mp3" --

TG: um yeah that could use some work  
TG: good name though  
TG: kind of appropriate  
GG: sorry!!  
TG: nah its ok  
TG: youll get better with time i mean how old are you?  
GG: 8! i had my birthday a few days ago!!  
TG: me too funnily enough  
TG: oh well we cant all be instant prodigies  
GG: yeah im hoping to remix it when i get better at this...  
TG: still bass guitar is a cool instrument to learn  
TG: better than rose and her violin  
TG: not quite sure how youre supposed to reach the low notes when youre 8 though  
GG: yeah i had to have it retuned!!!  
GG: i guess ill grow into it  
GG: like john and his piano!!!  
TG: john?  
GG: you dont know him either then?  
TG: well hes no camponologist  
GG: camponowhat?  
TG: he doesnt ring any bells  
TG:   
TG: ...  
TG: because you see a camponologist is a bell ringer  
GG: oh right! hehehehe!!!  
TG: yeah i think ive got too used to talking to rose  
TG: i probably do need to talk to more people who actually talk like 8 year olds  
GG: well i think johns still 7 but yeah hes another friend of mine!  
GG: would you like his chumhandle??  
TG: whoa hey slow down im not even sure if im friends with you yet  
GG: sorry ._.  
TG: nah im kidding youre all right  
TG: i dunno some of the people i get trolling me you wouldnt believe  
GG: whats trolling?  
TG: youll probably find out soon enough  
TG: basically trolls are assholes who want to annoy you for the fun of it  
GG: oh nooooooo  
TG: its no big deal just stick em in trollslum  
TG: that shuts them up  
TG: most of the time anyway  
GG: ok well john isnt a troll hes really nice!  
TG: all right then  
TG: whats his chumhandle  
GG: ghostyTrickster  
TG: ok ill give him a bell later on

So that was all her new friends met, thought Jade.  She'd better go tell Grandpa not to worry about trying to find Dave.  Then all she could really do was hang around and wait for John to show up.  If what Rose had said was right, he needed to meet them so he could have met them.  Or... something.


	2. John

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days ago, John learned of his second cousin Jade and met her over Pesterchum, where she thanked him for a birthday present that he didn't remember sending. Now she wants to introduce him to two people he's never heard of that he mentioned in the letter that he doesn't remember sending. Headaches all round.

It had been a weird last few days, John thought as he swung his schoolbag off his shoulders and sat down at his computer.  Nice, but weird - ever since his dad had told him that he had a second cousin called Jade living on an island somewhere in the Pacific ocean.  Then they'd started talking over this Pesterchum thing and well, she did seem like a nice person.  It was cool to meet someone who didn't think he was a huge nerd, like most of his schoolfriends did.  And wow, some of the stories she'd told him about her home and grandpa and dog were amazing!  But it still all seemed a bit odd - this business with the birthday present that he didn't remember sending bugged him.

Speak of the devil - Pesterchum was beeping and flashing at him.  It looked like Jade had been waiting for him to come online.

\-- gardenGnostic [GG] began pestering ghostyTrickster [GT] at 15:43 --

GG: hi john!!!  
GT: hiya jade!  
GT: how are things?  
GG: pretty good!  
GG: just been talking with rose and dave  
GT: rose and dave?  
GG: you mentioned them in your letter!!!  
GG: said you wouldn't have met them if it wasn't for me  
GT: huh.  
GT: well it sounds like i was right!  
GT: because i don't think i would meet them if it wasn't for you telling me about them just now.  
GG: umm.....  
GT: although that's just weird, because i know i'm not psychic and time travel's just a cool thing they put in movies.  
GG: .... ohhhh i think i get it now!!!  
GG: well i dont get it  
GG: but i get why i dont get it  
GG: and now i know everythings going to be ok!!!  
GT: oh, ok, cool.  
GG: anyway id better tell you their chumhandles so you can make friends with them like your letter said you would  
GT: ok.  
GG: rose is tentacleTherapist and dave is turntechGodhead  
GG: they both seem really smart and knows a lot of long words!  
GG: and they seem like really cool people too!!!  
GG: id better leave you to get to know each other  
GG: see you later john!!!  
GT: see you then.

John shook his head, trying to rattle all the pieces into place.  Oh well, can't overthink this stuff.  Just roll with it and see what happens.  Chumroll with it?  Yeah, that joke probably needed work.  He added Rose.

*    *    *

\-- ghostyTrickster [GT] has added tentacleTherapist [TT] to their chumroll. --  
\-- tentacleTherapist [TT] has accepted ghostyTrickster [GT] as their chum. --  
\-- ghostyTrickster [GT] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 15:55 --

GT: hi rose.  
TT: Hello.  
TT: You must be this John I've heard so much about.  
GT: wow, has jade been talking about me?  
TT: Sort of.  
TT: Well, she said you seemed really nice, anyway.  
TT: And that you'd sent her a letter that mentioned me.  
TT: Which seemed rather odd.  
GT: yeah, the weird thing is, i don't remember sending that letter!  
GT: and i honestly hadn't heard of you until jade mentioned you just now.  
TT: Curiouser and curiouser.  
TT: Perhaps we're all just "friends who haven't met yet".  
GT: yeah, maybe!  
GT: um, hang on a sec, dad's calling me.  
TT: Ok.

"How was school, son?" Dad asked.  He was baking again.  It wasn't really annoying except around his birthdays, but even on normal days Dad seemed to do more baking than necessary to feed the two of them.  It was kind of a wonder why they weren't both 250lb.  
"Not bad," John replied. "I did this in art." He held up a drawing he'd done of the Green Slime Ghost from his T-shirt.  It was kind of crappy, but Dad'd probably love it.

And sure enough, he did. "That's great, John!  I'm going to put this on the fridge..."  
"Um, thanks..." John said, blushing.  He never really knew how he felt when Dad did something like this.  Embarrassed?  Happy?  Proud?  Probably best to just call it "the Dad emotion".  After all, he was just... well, Dad.  That's really all there was to say on the matter. "Is it okay if I go back upstairs?  Only I'm talking to someone on Pesterchum..."  
"Jade again?" Dad asked, placing the drawing carefully under a magnet.  
"No, actually, one of her friends."  
"Oh right.  Sure.  Have fun!"

GT: back.  
TT: What did your father want?  
GT: oh, not much, the usual.  
GT: he just wanted to know how school went.  
GT: so i showed him a drawing i did in art, and he was so proud he put it on the fridge.  
TT: Any good?  
GT: nah, not really.  
GT: it's just... you know, parents.  
TT: Preach it, brother.  
GT: dad's a great dad and all, but he can be a bit much sometimes.  
GT: and he has some weird hobbies.  
GT: i don't get the deal with all these clowns or harlequins or whatever he calls them.  
GT: i mean yeah magic tricks and practical jokes are a lot of fun but the clowns thing is just weird.  
TT: Fascinating.  
TT: Are you normally this open with people you've only just met?  
GT: i guess, i just... wait a minute, are you trying to psycho-therapify me?  
TT: Well, it is in the chumhandle.  
GT: yeah, fair enough, i guess i was warned!  
GT: although now i'm worried about the "tentacle" part.  
TT: Yes, I suppose the zoologically dubious isn't a normal hobby for an eight-year-old girl.  
GT: eh?  
TT: I'm not quite sure how to sum up the concept.  
TT: Ancient evil beings destined to destroy everything?  
TT: Often involving tentacles?  
GT: oh right, reminds me of a real ghostbusters episode.  
GT: "the collect call of cathulu" i think it was.  
GT: that was a pretty scary one!  
TT: I quite like that show.  
TT: Well, more than Squiddles, anyway.  
GT: oh boy, jade likes that doesn't she?  
GT: it is kind of naff.  
GT: but hey, a lot of things i like are kind of naff according to the kids at school, so.  
TT: Quite.  
TT: Let he who is without dorkiness cast the first stone.  
GT: something like that, yeah!  
GT: hang on a sec, someone else wants to be friends with me i think.  
TT: Oh, that'll probably be Dave.  
TT: It seems our friend Jade is quite the networker.  
GT: hehe, yeah.  
GT: i was going to add him next but it looks like he's beat me to the punch!  
TT: Ok, well I need to go to dinner now.  
TT: See you around, John.

*    *    *

\-- turntechGodhead [TG] has added ghostyTrickster [GT] to their chumroll. --  
\-- ghostyTrickster [GT] has accepted turntechGodhead [TG] as their chum. --  
\-- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering ghostyTrickster [GT] at 16:13 --

TG: so it looks like weve got some weird friendship connection chain going on here  
TG: where youre a friend of a friend of a friend or something crazy like that  
TG: but hey i guess that works  
TG: the names dave strider  
GT: hey there dave!  
GT: jade was talking about you just now.  
TG: what did she say about me?  
GT: i dunno, the usual stuff.  
GT: said you seemed like a really cool guy, that sort of thing.  
TG: man i am the COOLEST guy  
TG: well okay maybe second place after my bro  
TG: even i cant compete with ventriloquist dummy rapping  
GT: umm, okay.  
GT: i guess that is pretty cool.  
GT: so what sort of cool things do you like to do?  
TG: well i like to rap and mix phat beats on my turntables  
GT: oh right, awesome!  
GT: making music's always cool.  
GT: i'm learning piano, although i'm not very good at it yet.  
TG: yeah jade mentioned that  
TG: piano can be pretty cool  
TG: not as cool as bass but cooler than that violin rose plays at least  
GT: oh, you know rose too?  
TG: shes the friend in "youre a friend of a friend of a friend"  
TG: that is to say  
TG: the third friend  
TG: youre the first friend and jades the second friend  
TG: i think  
TG: dammit now youve got me confused  
GT: that's okay, i think i get it.  
TG: well im glad someone does  
TG: so what else do you do with yourself other than learn piano  
GT: well i like watching movies  
TG: oh right what sort?  
GT: umm... well, to name a few, ghostbusters, con air, little monsters, armageddon...  
TG: hahaha con air  
GT: what?  
TG: oh nothing, i guess its fine in an ironic sort of way  
TG: putting bunnies back in boxes and so on  
GT: PUT  
GT: THE BUNNY  
TG: oh god what have i started  
GT: BACK IN  
GT: THE BOX!!!!!  
TG: yep you sure can quote movies  
TG: now why couldnt i put the bunny back in the box  
GT: sorry, it was kinda reflexive.  
TG: i reckon i should change the subject quick  
GT: well i do like things other than movies.  
GT: computer games are a lot of fun too.  
TG: oh hey cool  
TG: do you read gamebro?  
GT: gamebro?  
TG: its this games magazine  
TG: actually its kind of stupid but its got good irony value  
GT: oh well, maybe i'll give it a look  
TG: anyway i need to go get some MAD SNACKS YO  
TG: which might take a while given my bros approach to housekeeping  
TG: later dude

*    *    *

So that was Rose and Dave, thought John.  They seemed a bit weird, but isn't it always the way when you first talk to someone.  They probably thought he was a bit weird, with his dad liking clowns and stuff and, well, it'd be a funny old world if we were all alike.  And they certainly seemed pretty cool and smart and stuff too so yeah, he guessed he liked them.  And he'd have plenty of time to talk to them over the Christmas holidays and get to know them better.  He'd better get back to Jade, though.

\-- ghostyTrickster [GT] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 16:32 --

GT: hey jade!  
GG: hi john!!!  
GG: did you talk to rose and dave???  
GT: yep!  
GT: you're right, they are pretty cool.  
GG: yay!  
GT: thanks for introducing me.  
GT: i guess i should stop worrying about this whole thing, even if it doesn't make sense.  
GG: yeah probably!!!  
GT: it doesn't even really matter any more.  
GT: i mean we've met all the friends we hadn't met yet!  
GG: yeah we've met all the friends we hadn't met yet!!!  
GT: ... snap.  
GG: hehe yeah!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> John, meanwhile, doesn't really have much of a clue what's going on, but that's never stopped him taking things in his stride before - well okay, except when they relate to finding out that his Dad's an ordinary businessman or that Fruit Gushers are made by Betty Crocker. Not much else to say that hasn't been covered by Chapter 1, really.


	3. Rose and Dave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A puzzled Rose tries to work out what the deal is with Jade and John, and decides to ask Dave for his opinion on the matter.

TT: Ok, well I need to go to dinner now.  
TT: See you around, John.

*    *    *

Hours later, Rose emerged from what had felt like an interminable dinner as her mother had tried to extract precious nuggets of information about Jade and John.  It hadn't worked, but only because she knew so little about them herself.  They were the proverbial riddles wrapped in mysteries inside enigmas.  And now they were both offline.  John was probably at dinner himself now; she couldn't say for Jade.  Dave was on though.

She thought back to how she'd met Dave, a couple of years before.  She'd been a member of an online poetry group aimed at very young children - all very safe, all very sane, she was practically the only one pushing the envelope - when he showed up.

And yes, he was full of himself and yes, he refused to use punctuation.  And yes, technically speaking it was rap, and it had put the other members of the poetry group off.  But he'd been the first kid she'd met with a vocabulary like hers, the first to get her allusions to some of the classics - Roald Dahl, Spike Milligan, Lewis Carroll.  He knew of a time when Winnie the Pooh and Thomas the Tank Engine were creations of A.A. Milne and The Rev. W. Awdry rather than just TV characters.

She wasn't quite sure how much she liked him, but she certainly respected him.  And she'd defended him against the rest of the poetry group, and even resigned when they'd voted him out.  Since then, it had been just the two of them, not counting the trolls, at least until Jade and John had showed up.  She bickered with him constantly, but she trusted his judgement.  And she needed his judgement now.

\-- tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 21:45 --

TT: So what do you make of our new friends?  
TG: jade and john?  
TT: Well unless you've been seeing other people behind my back, yes.  
TG: haha very funny  
TG: i am literally rolling on the floor laughing  
TG: damn im tangled up in all these cables  
TT: I warned you about cables, bro.  
TT: I told you, dog.  
TG: but yeah theyre not bad  
TG: ok maybe a bit too bright and cheerful for my tastes  
TG: and i dont think johns entirely convinced about my coolness  
TG: why do you ask  
TT: I don't know. It's just... odd.  
TT: It's like they knew us already and yet didn't know us already at the same time.  
TG: i didnt really get that feeling  
TT: Yes, I suspect Jade was starting to wise up by the time she talked to you.  
TT: She described you to me as, and I quote, "a friend i havent met yet" (sic).  
TG: really?  
TG: ill admit it was odd when she started off saying "hi dave!!!" when i didnt know her from adam  
TG: but the thing with friendship is  
TG: you cant overthink it  
TG: just roll with it and see what happens  
TG: i mean weve both got pretty empty chumrolls without them  
TT: I suppose you're right.  
TT: After all, if they're nice people, maybe it doesn't really matter how we met them.  
TG: yeah its like the beginning of the universe or something  
TG: were still not sure what happened  
TG: but once its happened it keeps happening  
TG: you can let it bug you or you can get on with your life  
TG: sure its a life of girls whose composition makes you go ohgodwhat and boys who like con air of all things  
TG: but its still a life  
TT: Yes, thank you Professor Hawking.  
TG: youre welcome baroness greenfield  
TT: She's neuroscience, Dave. Not psychology.  
TG: close enough  
TT: Yes, I suppose.  
TT: How are things with your brother?  
TG: oh same old same old  
TG: coolest dude on the planet but i still had to scrape a meal together as usual  
TG: found an unopened bottle of apple juice though  
TG: pretty rad

*    *    *

Dave sipped his juice thoughtfully as he considered what Rose was saying.  She might have a point, it was kinda weird how Jade and John had dropped out of the blue like that.  And he generally trusted her judgement, even if she did bicker with him constantly.  But at the same time... they seemed to like him.  He wasn't even sure how much Rose liked him, as much as she respected him.  And they seemed okay with rap, which was a step up from the poetry group.  Metaphysics be damned.

TG: but yeah id say theyre fine really  
TT: Okay. Thanks.  
TG: and hey maybe well form a band some day  
TG: piano bass drum machine turntables thats a good nucleus  
TG: dont know how youd fit a violin in though  
TT: Sometimes I wish I could throw pillows over the Internet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dave is always a character I've had trouble finding an angle for. I can do John easily, Rose is fairly straightforward, Jade takes a little more effort but I can usually find something for her. But Dave's always the awkward one. However, reading [we drive by braille](http://archiveofourown.org/works/106386) suddenly gave me that angle and let me play the idea of him making friends with Rose in the first place by them being the two former tyro stars of some online poetry group for little kids.


	4. Showtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skipping forward four months to John's eighth birthday, he receives an advanced piano tuition book from Jade as a present. In it, he finds a tune called Showtime...

_Months in the future, but not many..._

It had been a pretty good eighth birthday so far, John thought. Rose and Dave had already wished him a happy birthday: Jade hadn't come online yet, but it was probably still night-time where she was. But he couldn't put it off much longer - he could hear his dad pacing around downstairs, more excited to get to present opening than he was.

But even then, that wasn't as bad as he'd been expecting. Once you got past the ridiculous number of cakes that were hanging around threateningly, there really were some nice presents: some cool movie posters, a couple of programming books, a biography of his favourite magician Harry Anderson, some neat fake arms for practical joking...

"And oh yes, there was one other present in the mail..."

Dad went back into the kitchen and returned with a flat, green package, bearing the label "To: GT, From: GG".  
"It must be from Jade!" John said. "Aww... she shouldn't have..."  
"Well, open it up then," Dad encouraged.  
John ripped open the green paper, and pulled out a book. "Learn to Play Piano - Book 4. Book 4? That's a bit... well, advanced for me."  
"Oh I don't know, John," Dad reasoned, "I reckon you're making good progress. You're through Book 1 already."  
"Yeah, but that's Book 1. And Book 2's going okay, but... Book 4..."  
"Well, if it's a bit much for you, you can always keep going with Book 2 and get to Book 4 eventually."  
"I guess. Still, I guess it's neat that she thinks I'd be on to Book 4 already. Heck, it's neat she sent me a present at all!"  
"Yes, it's the thought that counts. Anyway, do you want some cake?"

John looked around at the cakes. Well, why not. He hadn't had breakfast yet, after all.

*    *    *

John entered the study to do some piano practice. After a few quick tinkles of "Happy Birthday To You", he looked over at his sheet music collection. The plan was to continue with Book 2, but... Jade's present was sitting there expectantly, waiting to be read and played.

Oh well, what the heck. Wouldn't hurt to try. It was Jade's birthday present, after all. She reckoned she could handle this. She believed in him.

John opened the book at the first song, "Showtime". 3/4 time... ugh, three flats. He started to pick out the right-hand notes. Eb... D Eb F... Eb F G... Ab Bb... oh heck, then a double note... and then a sudden drop down to... was that C? Ugh. Start again. Eb... D Eb F... Eb F G... Ab Bb... just play the top note of the double note for now, G Ab... yes that was C, C F G... Bb Eb F... D F G... F Eb... oh hey, then back to D Eb F... Eb F G...

This wasn't so bad. Okay, so he hadn't added the left hand in yet, and it seemed like there was an awful lot of pages of music to go, but he was getting there. He'd work at it. Probably an idea to go back down to Book 2 for now, but he'd make sure to keep putting stuff from this book into his practice routine.

*    *    *

After practice, John went back upstairs to see if Jade was online yet. She was indeed, and she'd sent him a message.

GG: hi john happy birthday!!!  
GG: did my present arrive?  
GT: hey jade!  
GT: yeah it did, thanks!  
GT: you really didn't have to me send anything though...  
GG: well you sent me a present!  
GG: its only fair :D  
GT: yeah i guess.  
GT: i think you've overestimated me a bit with book 4 though!  
GG: well i had to send the present months ago so itd get to you today...  
GG: i mean i ended up sending it only a week or so after we started chatting to each other!  
GG: so i just took a guess at the level youd be at  
GG: seems like i need to get better at guessing...  
GT: nah, it's cool, really.  
GT: i had a go at one of the songs just now.  
GT: it's a bit tricky but i've made a start!  
GT: it's been a nice birthday so far.  
GT: dad's gone and baked too many cakes, as usual.  
GT: but other than that, fun times.  
GT: anyway, how are things with you?  
GG: oooh as it happens grandpa says hes got a late birthday present for me too!!!  
GT: wow, four months is pretty late.  
GT: any idea what it is?  
GG: not really hes been keeping it a secret!!  
GG: but he says it should help me remember some of my dreams...  
GT: oh hey, neat.  
GT: i hate it when i wake up in the morning and the only thing i can remember is that i must have eaten a lot of cheese the previous night.  
GG: hehehe!  
GG: yeah i know!  
GG: but grandpa seems to think my dreams are important somehow  
GG: so i guess ill see!  
GG: oh hey i think hes going to show it me now!  
GT: cool, i guess i'd better go have a look at some of these programming books or something.  
GT: have fun!  
GG: you too!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I read off the notes from the sheet music in the YOU THERE, BOY Flash file, and yes, I picked them out on Mum's keyboard/in FruityLoops. John's thought processes in trying to learn the song pretty much accurately reflect mine :p.


	5. Dreambot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jade tries out her dreambot for the first time, meets and worries over Dream John, and sees the Skaia vision that joins the dots on this whole mystery.

"Ta-da!" Jade's grandpa said theatrically, uncovering her eyes.  She was in her bedroom, but it had changed.  Her bed now had four odd, glowing posts on the corners.  And there was a robot standing in the middle of the room.  It looked an awful lot like her.  
"This, Jade, is your dreambot!"  
"Wow!  What does it do?"  
"It performs a number of functions - it acts out your dream actions in reality, while also recording them and giving you a clearer focus on your dreams while you sleep.  You see, when you sleep on your bed, these four pillars collect your thoughts and send them to the dreambot to be processed!"  
"Wow!  Thanks, grandpa!"  
"Well, shall we try it out?"

Jade climbed onto her bed, but she was so excited she wondered how she'd ever be able to fall asleep.  And yet, it was surprisingly easy.  She soon found herself dreaming her usual dream of the golden room and the indistinct, blurry shapes within it.  But as the dreambot powered up, everything came into sharper focus, like putting her glasses on in the morning.  The intricate patterns of the golden wallpaper were now visible, and she could see the contents of the room clearly.  It looked a lot like her own room.  There was her bass, the wardrobifier, her lunchtop...

Her lunchtop... She wondered if she could use it to talk to her friends from inside a dream?  Maybe the dreambot would do the typing for her?  She needed to try it out.

\-- gardenGnostic [GG] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 12:00 --

GG: hi dave!!!!!  
TG: hey there  
TG: hows it going  
GG: fine i just got a late birthday present!!!  
TG: that is late  
TG: i mean your birthdays what two days before mine?  
TG: its been four goddamn months already  
GG: lol yeah i know but it just wasnt ready before now!!  
TG: so what is it  
GG: its a robot for recording dreams and acting them out in reality!  
GG: im asleep right now!!!  
TG: wait what  
TG: youre kidding  
GG: no seriously!!!  
TG: i honestly dont know what to say to that  
TG: congratulations youve left me speechless  
TG: no words suffice to describe how boggled my mind is

Jade grinned.  Maybe she should just leave Dave to get on with his inevitable monologue, although she'd take the lunchtop with her just in case he found his way back to the point.  So if this was a dream, did that mean she could... fly?  As soon as she thought the word, she found herself drifting clear of the ground.  Wow.  Could she fly out of the window, then?  Yes, looks like it -

\- an inky black sky over an immense, mind boggling city of golden spires, descending into unfathomable depths, like one of those fractal pictures Rose had shown her the other day.  She drifted out into it, struggling to comprehend it all.  And ahead of her was one of the tallest towers of all, with a ball-shaped room at the top, like the ones from her house.  Speaking of her house... she looked behind her.  There was a similar tower there, the one she'd just come from, her home on this impossible dream planet.  The two towers were identical.  Did that mean someone else lived in that tower?  Someone who dreamed the same dreams she did?  She had to find out.

Entering the other tower through the window, she found a boy with black hair, buck teeth and square-framed glasses, dressed in the same golden clothes that she was.  She thought he looked a little like her grandpa.  Was it a younger version of him?  No, didn't seem quite right somehow.  But there was a definite resemblence.  Maybe family?  Ohhh... maybe it was John!  She'd have to check with him later.  The boy was sleeping, but it was a troubled sleep, twitching, teeth gritted, almost... angry?  For the first time she noticed at the graffiti on the walls around him.  "LAME KID", "FOOL", "DUHHH".  Had he written these things?  Why?

Jade nudged the boy to try and wake him up, but it didn't make a difference.  She felt bad for him.  Even before the dreambot, her dreams had been always been nice, if indistinct and always forgotten by morning.  But the boy seemed to be having nightmares.

She'd have to find out if he was John or not.  Good job she'd brought her lunchtop across to the other tower with her.  Dave was still going on about how lost for words he was, and had somehow managed to start rapping on the subject.

\-- gardenGnostic [GG] began pestering ghostyTrickster [GT] at 12:13 --

GG: hi john!!!  
GT: oh hey there jade!  
GT: how's that new present working out for you?  
GG: its great!!!  
GG: but umm.....  
GG: sorry if this is a bit rude but could you send me a photo of yourself??  
GG: I need to check something!!  
GT: um, sure.  
GT: i know dad said about not sharing stuff like that on the internet, but hey its not like you're a stranger!  
GT: and after all, he told me about you in the first place!

\-- ghostyTrickster [GT] sent gardenGnostic [GG] the file "bluhbluh.jpg" --

Jade checked the photo, and couldn't help but grin.  He may be pulling a silly face here, but the boy was definitely John.  Although... that meant it was John who was having the nightmares, John who had scribbled on his walls calling himself a LAME KID and a FOOL.  And... in a funny sort of way, it made sense.  John was a lovely guy, but he did keep putting himself down all the time.  Oh well, best not to worry him about it.  Try to keep cheerful.

GG: lol nice expression!!!  
GT: hehe thanks.  
GG: i guess id better send you a photo too then  
GG: its only fair!

\-- gardenGnostic [GG] sent ghostyTrickster [GT] the file "jade0413.jpg" --

GT: youre kinda cute!  
GT: although i have no idea how your hair is doing that thing at the top.  
GG: hehe thanks and yeah its just a thing i dunno!!!  
GT: well yeah, i guess my hair's pretty spiky too.  
GT: oh right, i forgot to ask, how's your greenhouse getting on?  
GG: great!

Their chat meandered along happily, although Jade couldn't help but keep stealing glances at the dream John as he slept fitfully on the bed.  Eventually though they ran out of things to talk about, and John had to go do something else.  There was nothing else she could do for him right now.  Time to head back to her tower and wake up.

But when she left the window of John's tower, the sky had changed from black to a brilliant blue, with fluffy white clouds.  If she wasn't so worried about John it'd be breathtakingly pretty.  But then one of the clouds changed, and she saw... herself?  Herself, but she looked a few years older.  So this was like some vision from the future or something?

It looked like she'd just finished playing with Bec - he loved playing fetch with bullets.  And she was picking up a blue package, identical to the one she'd received from John four months ago.  She watched herself fall asleep and Bec return her to her room.  Then the dreambot came out and played a really cool tune on her bass.  She didn't even know it had a second mode like that, she'd have to ask Grandpa about it.

And then the Jade in the cloud woke up again, and ziplined out of the window!  Wearing... yes, wearing the Blue Slime Ghost T-Shirt that was way too big for her right now!  Landing on one of the frog temple pillars, she left the blue package there... and it disappeared!  But future her didn't look disappointed.  She seemed pleased, like she'd finally solved some grand puzzle that had been bugging her for years...

And then it hit her.  John had originally sent that birthday present to her from the future, when she was old enough that the t-shirt fit and when, apparently, her pumpkins would start disappearing.  She'd already sort of figured part of it out - John's talk of time travel and psychics really had been the only answer that made any sense - but now all the jigsaw bits fitted together and the picture was amazing.  The four of them - John, Rose, Dave and her - had all been destined to meet up by this whole weird time travel process!

But what could it all mean?  Why were they destined to meet up like this?  She didn't know.  But it should be fun finding out, both for her and for the friends she hadn't met yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sort of had the idea of pre-Dreambot Jade being a bit like Dave, awake but not knowing it. To her, they were just odd but pleasant blurry dreams, with the dreambot changing everything.
> 
> One interesting thing I've noticed about John's scribbles is that, if it's his own subconscious doing them, then he's calling _himself_ a fool and a lame kid. Poor guy has some serious self-esteem issues.
> 
> And to avoid the whole thing ending on a downer note with John's dreamself, I added in the Skaia vision bit at the end. The circle is complete. Well, until five years later, anyway...

**Author's Note:**

> So, four different kids from four different locations and four different backgrounds. How did they meet up? A question for the ages. We got a partial answer with John's stable-time-loop present to Jade, but there's a lot of ground left to cover...
> 
> ... however, it isn't all that surprising that Jade should know John or Rose. Hass and Nanna grew up as brother and sister, which makes John and Jade second cousins, even if only by adoption. We know that Hass knows Mom because she was working for him back when Baby John's meteor arrived. With them both having children so isolated from the world in general, it would only make sense to encourage them to befriend each other. John's letter might have been the catalyst, but the reactants were already there. Dave's the tricky one, and I'll admit I copped out a bit by having him be introduced to Jade via Rose. Maybe Rose and Dave met on a poetry site or something (e: just wrote chapter 3 and I have them doing this. That's that sorted).
> 
> The title's a reference to Earthbound: in Paula's first psychic communication with Ness she describes herself as "a friend who you have never met before". Kind of appropriate given that Earthbound was one of the inspirations for Homestuck.
> 
> And again, sure would be nice if I knew how to do red and blue text on here. Oh well, I'll work it out eventually.


End file.
